Lap board



March 29, 1932.

c; z. STANLEY 1,851,600

LAP BOARD Filed April 1l. 1930 mozzke'z zazze Patented Mar. 29, 1932 UNITED stares CAROLINEVZ. srANLEY, oF nnookmnn. ivrnssncnusnr'rs f i i LA? :oAnn

implication fuea Aprn 11,

rIhis invention relates to folding lap boards suitable to hold reading matter, writing maf' terials, dishes or the like. My invention aims to provide a lap board capable of being folded compactly for carrying or packing, and easily 4opened and xed inits flat or extended state. My invention contemplates the use of a movable slide for locking hinged panels .of the lap boardtogether andretaining the lap board ina flat state, and the improved construction according `to my invention secures the slide tov one of the panels so that it is always in place ready for use, is in no danger of becomingdisengaged during use 'or carrying of the lap board, and yet is easily Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a lap board in ,Y its flater extended state;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan viewV of the same lap board;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lap board folded for carrying orshipping; 'l

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the folded lap board of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Referring toFigs. l and 2, the improved lap board shown therein comprises essentially the two panels 11 and12, which may be of wood or any suitable material, cut away on an arc at 21, hinged together at their `adj acent side edges, for instance byY means of hinges 13 and 14, and provided with the locking slide l5 adapted to hold the two panels in an extended position as in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referringto Fig. 5, the locking slide 15 preferably is of channel shape, embraces the end edge of one panel, for instance panelll, and

. is movable along the end ofthe board to embrace also the end edge of the other panel 12, thereby to lock the two panels in the position of Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 5, the lower flange 2O of the slide is provided with a slot 16,

Vpreferably' extendingv throughout the Vmajor part of its length.-` Aj pin,'herein sh'own'asa wood screw 17,V "fastened directlyfinfthe bottom facefof,` panel `11 and by e'xtendi'ng engaged" from the-board, butl is 'always re1- Atained 1n `position for'rea'dy use, By moving Fig.l l until Vitis entirelydisengaged'from i 'panel' 12,- the board, beA 5folded into the position shown in Figs.V 3, 4fjand 5, and in the reverse order theboardmaybe opened to the position l'of 1 and 2 by `nnfoldingitand mov` ing'theslide to theA 'central position `shown um une is iaugau-dinanya aiefrigiitinv therein, wherein'the 'slide engages thefj'end edges of both of the pan-els; Preferably the slide is movable'alongV the end edges of the panelsfwith an easy sliding fit, the provision of the` connection 1' between the` slide and Vone of the panels renderingi't unnecessary to have theV slide fit, tightly or with a spring action, for" preventing its,fdisengagementi The length of the slidefis'preferablynot greater than thewidth of one ofthelpanel'sv so that upon foldingof the panels, for instance, as

shown inFigs; 3 and 4, the slide Jdoes not pro-` ject beyond thevside edgesofthe folded'iboard'.

In-case hingeso'f the type 'shown inFigs.. 2.

Y and 4 are4v employed which upon folding of the .board space the `two panels aslight distance apart, the thickness of the lower iange20 of the slide'is preferably not greater than the folded thickness of the hinges, .so that the twovpanels when folded as inFig. 4 willv lie substantially parallel.- .f- Y `j The Aprovision of a channel/.in the slide is advantageous in that lit .permits the vslidey to lockthe panels by embracing their edge por- .Y I

tions which need be no thicker than the .main

portionsof the panels. Thus when the board y ,i

is folded, the two panels are separated only ,by the thickness of one flange of the chan-v neled slide, and the folded'board is rendered` Q5 very compact'.

I claim: v l 1. A folding lap board having, when 'eX- tended, a substantially straight rear edge and :I

a concave forward edge, said board comprising twoy substantially like panels abutting ich' f alonga line extending from front to rear,-

' hinges secured to theunder sides of the panels and permanently uniting them, and means for holding the panels in extended relation in use comprising a non-resilient channel- Y L shaped slide having an easy sliding fit over` the rea-r straight edge ofthe board, said slide.

I" f` being of a length slightly shorter than the '.Width Vof jone of the panels and having an elongated slot in its bottom ange,`saidbot. tom flange being/'of a thickness substantially .equal to tliefolded thickness of the hinges,

a screw extending through said slot inthe bottom flange of the slide and into one of the panels for permanently securing the slide t said panel, While permittingits free longitudinal movement into overlapping relation to I .the edge ofthe other panel. 1

u f arcon'c'ave Vforward edge, said boardcompris v l tended, a substantially straight rear edge and ing two substantially like panels abutting along a line extending `from front to rear, hinges secured to theunder sides of the panels and permanently uniting them, and means for .Y

holding the panels in extended. relation in vuse comprising a non-resilient 'channel-shaped slide having an easywsliding it over the rear straight edge of the board.,` said V,slide being of aV length slightly shorter than the Widthl a of one of the panels and havingfanelongated Y Vmanently securing the slide to said-panel,

A recessin its under side of the'receptionof said Y slot in its bottom flange, said bottom flange beingrof a thickness substantially equal to the folded thickness of the hinges, a screw eX- vtending throughrsaid slot inthe bottom flange -ofthe slide and into one-of the panels for per- While permitting its free longitudinal movementV into overlappingrelation to the edgeof the other panel, said latter panel having a screvvhea'd, When the slider is retracted and the panels are folded.'` I y Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts,

this ninth dayof Aprjil1930.

' a VCAROLINE 'Z.STANLEY.

2. A' folding lap board having, when ek- 

